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Sheva Alomar
|artist = Yosuke Yamagata |voiceactor = Karen Dyer |motionactor = Karen Dyer }} Sheva Alomar is a fictional character in the Resident Evil horror video game series by Capcom. She was introduced in 2009 in Resident Evil 5. In the game, she is a native African operative of an anti-bioterrorism group and the new partner of the series' veteran Chris Redfield. Alomar is controlled by the game's artificial intelligence (AI) when playing with a single player, and is controlled by a second player in the game's cooperative mode. Designed to symbolize "the bond of partnership" within the game, the character's physical design was modeled off Australian actress Michelle Van Der Water, while her voice acting and motion capture were performed by American actress Karen Dyer. The character was met with mostly positive reception from video game journalists, who praised her strength and attractiveness, though her AI in-game received mixed to negative reviews. The character's depiction did, however, receive criticism from several sources for adhering to racial and gendered stereotypes. Alomar has not returned for any further installment of the series. Design and portrayal Sheva Alomar was designed during the early development phase of Resident Evil 5, with her designer Yosuke Yamagata calling her a "new major protagonist" who symbolizes the theme of "the bonds of partnership". Her face and story background changed several times while she underwent many redesigns and re-imagining as developers searched for the right look to combine the qualities of "feminine attraction" and the "strength of a fighting woman". Rejected concepts for Alomar included her being either a civilian, a guerrilla, or a military commander. Her character model was based on Australian actress Michelle Van Der Water, but her voice acting and motion capture were performed by American actress Karen Dyer. Alomar appears in the game wearing a form-fitting purple singlet, beige pants and knee-high boots. She also carries a tactical belt and pistol holster, and wears leather forearm guards and traditional African jewellery. Alternate costumes are a staple within the Resident Evil series that let players dress playable characters in "silly, cool, and even embarrassing" outfits; the series also has a reputation for making their alternate costumes for women sexualised. Alomar's alternate costumes are a "Clubbin'" outfit consisting of a gold lamé bikini, micro-miniskirt and blonde wig, and a "Tribal" outfit consisting of a leopard print bikini and tribal body paint. Biography Sheva grew up in West African region which was associated with guerrilla fighters operating against the national government. Some 80% of the town's population was employed by Umbrella's No.57 Plant, who provided wages which, while still low by national standards, were steady enough for Sheva's family live on comfortably. Around 1994 when Sheva was only eight years old, the Umbrella plant suffered a containment failure the locals had unknowingly been aiding in the development began rampaging around the plant. With help from the army, Umbrella's anti-B.O.W. soldiers destroyed the factory to rid the bioweapons and massacred the town to silence witnesses. Sheva survived the attack, and was taken in by her uncle, who hoped for compensation to support her and his seven children but was offered nothing.Resident Evil 5 (2009), file: "Sheva Alomar". Guerrilla involvement Sheva ran away from her uncle's home due to malnutrition, and journeyed back to her home. On her way she was picked up by a convoy of guerrilla fighters, who believed the containment failure at the Umbrella plant was deliberate in order to test out their completed bioweapons. Over the next seven years Sheva lived with the guerrillas, fulfilling menial roles such as laundry and, when older, obtaining materials from the nearby town. Around the year 2001 and at the age of fifteen, Sheva was approached by a government agent, who revealed to her the guerrillas were attempting to purchase bio-weapons from Umbrella in their fight against the government. At a church, he introduced Sheva to an American official, who offered she and the guerrillas amnesty if she gave them proof of the bio-weapons deal and a means of capturing the guerrillas. Sheva agreed to do so, and three days later unlocked the door to their compound and used a recording at the meeting. Everyone in the compound was immediately arrested and taken to the American consulate, and true to the official's word everyone but the bioweapons dealer was released. Sheva was offered a new life in the United States, and handed a passport and a seat on a private jet with the official as her legal guardian. BSAA career Sheva adapted to life in the United States quickly, and mastered English within six months. Two years later, Sheva enrolled in a university and, upon passing, was recommended a career in the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance by the official, which had recently been founded to tackle the use of Umbrella's bioweapons in terrorism following its collapse. Sheva was assigned to Josh Stone's unit for eight months for training. Upon completion of her training, the BSAA chose her to become an agent due to her prior experience in infiltration while smuggling material for the guerrillas.BIOHAZARD 5 kaitaishinsho, p.009.BIOHAZARD 5 kaitaishinsho, p.009: "BSAA西部アフリカ支部に所属する女性隊員。まだキャリアは短いが、 精神力や判断力にすぐれていると評価を受け、 個人での潜入捜杳や諜報活動を主任務とするエージェントに抜擢されている。 アフリカ出身で、 今回の作戦が行なわれるキジュジュ自治区の情勢にくわしいことから、 支部の管轄を越えて参加するクリスのサポート役としてパートナーに選ばれた。 十代のなかばから大学卒業のアメリカ人で生活していたため、 いまでは生枠のアメリカとしても通じるほど、 英語を完璧にあやつることができる。 アフリカには深い思い入れがあり、 不安定な政情や経済状能につけこんで故郷を兵器開発の実験場とする、 非道な密売組織の摘発に闘志を燃やす。" = Sheva was assigned to work alongside Chris throughout Kijuju to keep the natives from becoming hostile over the fact that he's an American. The two were to assist BSAA Alpha Team Members in locating and apprehending a Bio-weapons dealer named Ricardo Irving. Their contact, who supplied them with their weapons and gear, also informed them that Irving is also wanted for questioning on a possible doomsday project known as Uroboros. Unfortunately, the situation in Kijuju would prove far more volatile than the two agents had expected as the locals were not only hostile, but displayed aggression similar to the Ganados of Los Iluminados. They watched helplessly as their contact who was captured by the locals was executed by a masked man wielding a massive axe. While en route to Alpha Team's location to the weapon's deal coordinates, they soon discovered that Alpha Team had been attacked and slain by an unknown B.O.W as an apparent set-up by Irving to eliminate the presence of BSAA operatives.They eventually tracked him down, but Irving managed to escape with the help of a mysterious cloaked woman. Chris finds files left behind by Irving with information on his old partner Jill Valentine. After barely surviving a number of situations which includes killing two of Irvining's Bio-Weapons (The Popokarimu and Ndesu, the latter of which wiped out most of BSAA Delta Team), Sheva begs Chris to retreat after seeing how badly they were outnumbered. He then tells Sheva how his longtime partner Jill Valentine died during a mission to arrest Oswell E. Spencer of the Umbrella Corporation. Sheva changes her mind once she learns of Jill and sees Chris' determination to find her. Chris and Sheva trail Irving through sewers and an oil refinery. They manage to track down Irving with the help of Josh Stone, Sheva's friend and mentor. When Chris and Sheva corner Irving on his ship, he injects himself with a Dominant Species Plaga. However, Chris and Sheva manage to take him down after a difficult battle. With Irving dead, Chris decides to disobey orders to search for Jill, who he now believes to be alive. Sheva accepts Chris' decision and continues her role as his partner. The pair make their way to an abandoned underground laboratory formerly used by the Umbrella Corporation. Eventually they discover a large room filled with human bodies contained in pods. Chris used the computer to locate the pod where Jill would be stored. When they discover the pod Jill was in to be empty, they are threatened by Excella Gionne via video screen. Sheva recognizes Excella as the head of the TRICELL Inc.'s African division, and is outraged to discover that Excella and TRICELL are part of the horrible experiments performed at this facility. Sheva also realizes that Excella lied about not knowing where Jill was. The two track Excella from the facility to underground ruins, though she eventually escapes with the help of the mysterious cloaked woman, whom Albert Wesker reveals to be none other than Jill Valentine. Together, Chris and Sheva are able to remove the mechanism controlling Jill. After, she reveals Wesker's plan to spread Uroboros worldwide, and pleads Chris to stop Wesker. Sheva and Chris follow Excella and Wesker to a large ship, where they corner Excella. Excella escapes, but not before drops one of her briefcases full of vials. Sheva picks up one of them and takes it with her. Eventually, the two reach a pile of corpses and a weakened Excella. Wesker injected Excella with the Uroboros virus, which eventually rejects her as a host and creates the monstrosity known as Uroboros Aheri. After disposing of the mutated Excella, the two BSAA operatives set out after Wesker. On the way, Jill contacts Chris to explain the source of Wesker's strength; an unstable virus. Jill explains that an overdose of the virus would possibly kill Wesker. Sheva realizes that the vial she picked up from Excella's briefcase, namely PG67A/W is the virus. Chris and Sheva rush to Wesker's hangar to confront him. After a difficult battle, the two are able to inject the virus into Wesker's chest, by getting rid of the light to decrease Wesker's vision, and using a night vision RPG-7. With his body weakening, and the two BSAA members on his tail, Wesker escapes to his jet. Chris and Sheva climb in through the cargo hold to stop Wesker. Mid-flight, Chris opens the cargo hold, sucking Wesker out the back of the jet. A celebration of Wesker's demise is short-lived when Wesker grabs Sheva's leg in an attempt to take her with him. With Chris's aid, Sheva is saved, and Wesker falls into a volcano courtesy of a gunshot to his head. Severely outmatched, Wesker has no choice but to combine Uroboros with himself, and attack the two with amazing strength. After a lengthy fight, Wesker is shot down into the molten magma while Chris and Sheva escape with Jill and Josh. Wesker, however, is not one to give up, and grabs the helicopter leg with his tentacle-like arm. However, Chris and Sheva are able to destroy Wesker once and for all by using two RPG-7. While flying away on the helicopter, the four BSAA agents praise that the journey is over, and that Wesker is dead once and for all. 2012 Several years after the events of the Kijuju incident, Sheva continued to work for the BSAA's West African Branch. At some point in 2012 Sheva contacted Piers Nivans after hearing of Chris's disappearance in Edonia. She voiced sadness at hearing his disappearance and offered support from the BSAA's West African Branch, noting that he was an important person to her. Personality Sheva is shown to be extremely loyal to her fellow BSAA comrades. When Chris was planning on continuing the mission in Africa, Sheva tried to talk him out of it out of concern for his safety. However, after hearing that Chris was in Africa to not only complete the mission, but also because his old partner, Jill Valentine, who was thought to be dead is still alive and somewhere in Africa, Sheva resolved to continue the mission with Chris. Another instance about this loyalty is when Chris went missing in Edonia, she sent a message of concern to Piers Nivans to ask if she can be any help.Chris' File Sheva is shown to be somewhat naive. When they were attacked the an Uroboros creature that wiped out Alpha Team, Sheva naively thought they could have saved Alpha Team had they gotten there sooner, only for Chris to point out they would most likely be dead too if they had because they were only able to defeat that creature due to the luck of being near a furnace when they encountered it. Appearance/Wardrobe Alomar appears in the game wearing a form-fitting purple singlet, beige pants and knee-high boots. She also carries a tactical belt and pistol holster, and wears leather forearm guards and traditional African jewellery. Bibliography * Merchandise Pre-order bonuses for Resident Evil 5 included a sand globe of Alomar and Redfield. Various action figures of the character have been released by the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Hot Toys, Square Enix, and SomaliCraft. Reception Reception of Alomar by video game journalists was mostly positive. She was added to several lists that rank characters by their sex appeal. In 2008, GameDaily staff said that though they were yet to play Resident Evil 5, they were "already enamored with its glamorous starlet"; the following year, they cited Alomar as among the strongest female characters in gaming. In 2010, Dave Meikleham of GamesRadar included her partnership with Redfield among gaming's "most violent double acts", and PlayStation: The Official Magazine opined she was intelligent and strong in addition to being beautiful, adding that her inclusion was "probably the highlight" of the game and awarding her "Tribal" costume 2009's Outfit of the Year award."Outfit of the Year: Sheva Alomar's Tribal Outfit," PlayStation: The Official Magazine 29 (February 2010): 53. In 2012, Complex ranked her among the best black characters in video games. GamesRadar's Matt Cundy said that unlike other characters in the series such as Jill Valentine and Ada Wong, Alomar's primary uniform was both less sexualised and more practical for fighting, describing her as "the absolute antithesis of vulnerable ... a walking fortress that is equal parts kick-ass and intimidating feminine sexuality," and Lisa Foiles of The Escapist praised Alomar among other characters for having a hairstyle that is practical for fighting, unlike many video game heroines. Several reviewers criticized Alomar's AI. IGN's Jesse Schedeen called Alomar a "walking bag of useless", and "just dumb as a rock when it comes to fighting zombies", while Portal Play Game considered her performance to be extremely annoying. Dan Whitehead from Eurogamer described Alomar's abilities as a bit hit-or-miss, saying that in a game where ammunition is scarce it was often frustrating watching her miss her targets. Ryan Geddes from IGN was more mixed, describing her performance as fair and saying her limitations were on par with other AI characters at the time, while IGN's Chris Reed included her among most useful sidekicks in video games, saying that unlike many AI characters, she was quick to offer assistance and skilled at getting out of the way when the player was moving or shooting. Several sources have criticized Alomar's depiction for adhering to both gender and racial stereotypes. Andre Brock from Games and Culture opined that Alomar was a "videogame equivalent of Pocahontas: a woman of color coerced into 'guiding' White explorers across a foreign land", and also said that her alternate costumes "make it clear that she is window-dressing; a sexualized mule". Anita Sarkeesian said the tribal outfit was particularly disconcerting, as it combined sexualizing a female character "with the racist tradition of exotifying women of color". Writing for the Digital Games Research Association, Geyser and Tshabalala noted that the first shot of Alomar in the game is a close up of her buttocks, immediately objectifying and characterising her. Eurogamer's Whitehead said that Alomar "neatly fits the approved Hollywood model of the light-skinned black heroine"; Geyser and Tshabalala similarly stated that her skin tone, outfit and job all conform to Western ideals. Writing for The Philosophy of Computer Games Conference, Harrer and Martine said that Alomar was given the role of a "decorative side character", also stating that "gendered and racialized hierarchies" exist between Alomar and Redfield; Redfield's character is placed in charge of Alomar's resources, said to be reminiscent of "an abusive heteronormative relationship". References ;Bibliography * External links * Sheva Alomar at Giant Bomb Category:Capcom protagonists Category:Female video game characters Category:Video game sidekicks Category:Resident Evil characters Category:Fictional African-Americans Category:Fictional immigrants to the United States Category:Fictional special forces personnel Category:Fictional United Nations personnel Category:Fictional war veterans Category:Fictional orphans Category:Fictional soldiers Category:Fictional women soldiers and warriors Category:Fictional characters introduced in 2009